Large or Yellow-Legged Tortoiseshell?

David M · Post by **David M** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 4:06 pm

Had these two images sent to me from Greece which show what could be a Yellow-Legged (or Scarce) Tortoiseshell.

Anyone there with any experience of the differences between these two species?

Post by **Pete Eeles** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 4:22 pm

Looks like Scarce to me, David: https://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species ... rities.php - Scarce on right in both cases:

Cheers,

- Pete

David M · Post by **David M** » Sat Apr 30, 2022 5:10 pm

Thanks, Pete.

selbypaul · Post by **selbypaul** » Sun May 01, 2022 8:52 am

Was this on the False Apollo holiday David, or just from someone else who happens to be in Greece?

David M · Post by **David M** » Sun May 01, 2022 8:13 pm

selbypaul wrote: ↑Sun May 01, 2022 8:52 am Was this on the False Apollo holiday David, or just from someone else who happens to be in Greece?

Yes, Paul. It was on the False Apollo tour.

My own view is that it is xanthomelas but I didn't see it myself.

John Vergo · Post by **John Vergo** » Mon May 02, 2022 6:26 am

Hi David
I also saw it David, and took a underside photo, and I took it for a Large Tortoiseshell, but because of the discussion here on UKB, I have sent the photos to one in Denmark who is expert on these to speices, and he is not in doubt : xanthomelas
john

selbypaul · Post by **selbypaul** » Mon May 02, 2022 2:37 pm

The photos also look like xanthomelas to me too. Which of the days/sites was it seen at?

John Vergo · Post by **John Vergo** » Mon May 02, 2022 3:34 pm

Hi Paul
It was the 9 april, and the location was where there was a river and a picnic aera

selbypaul · Post by **selbypaul** » Mon May 02, 2022 6:00 pm

Thanks John
I may well have seen it then, but completely unknowingly, so I can't count it sadly. Just shows the value of checking every single individual butterfly!

John Vergo · Post by **John Vergo** » Mon May 02, 2022 6:38 pm

Yes Paul, we all thought it was a Large Tortoiseshell (of serval) there was flying around but at least one of them was a xanthomelas

David M · Post by **David M** » Mon May 02, 2022 8:28 pm

John Vergo wrote: ↑Mon May 02, 2022 6:26 amI also saw it David, and took a underside photo, and I took it for a Large Tortoiseshell, but because of the discussion here on UKB, I have sent the photos to one in Denmark who is expert on these to speices, and he is not in doubt : xanthomelas

Thanks for this, John. I too can see it is different, so I think it can be concluded that this trip now returned 51 species.

David M · Post by **David M** » Mon May 02, 2022 8:30 pm

selbypaul wrote: ↑Mon May 02, 2022 2:37 pmThe photos also look like xanthomelas to me too. Which of the days/sites was it seen at?

Thanks, Paul.

It was at the chapel at our stop at the River Despatis near Potamoi on Sat 9th April

Large or Yellow-Legged Tortoiseshell?

Large or Yellow-Legged Tortoiseshell?

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